Physical content indicator for foam container

ABSTRACT

A foam container includes a content indicator in the form of a depressible foam area. The raised area has an increasing thickness from the outer edge to the When used in conjunction with alphanumeric characters, symbols or graphics, the depressible raised area, when depressed, indicates specific contents of the container, or that one or more specific items need to be inserted into the container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Technical Field

[0002] The present invention generally relates to foam containers. More particularly, the present invention relates to content indicators for foam containers.

[0003] 2. Background Information

[0004] For some time, restaurants have been using physical content indicators on plastic drink cup lids, such as depressible raised areas, in conjunction with lettering to indicate the type of beverage therein. For example, in conjunction with the word “diet,” the depression of such a raised area has been used to indicate a diet soft drink in order that it not be confused with the regular version of the same soft drink.

[0005] Similarly, restaurants have used graphical content indicators on paper-based food containers to indicate the contents of the container. For example, graphics of different types of sandwiches and the standard ingredients thereof might be present. A food clerk might then, for example, circle or otherwise indicate with a writing implement the type of sandwich, and cross out any of the related ingredient graphics if any are excluded.

[0006] However, foam containers, for example, those used for take-out food, have not enjoyed the enhanced use that comes with physical content indicators, instead focusing on writing on the outside of the foam. However, it is often difficult to write on foam, and can cause unwanted damage through punctures. The main reason for the lack of a physical content indicator for foam is that foam has a different structure than the other materials and physical content indicators, for example, have been assumed to be too difficult and expensive to create for foam.

[0007] Thus, a need exists for physical content indicators for foam containers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Briefly, the present invention satisfies the need for physical content indicators for foam containers by thinning the edges of the raised area, relative to the center.

[0009] In accordance with the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a physical content indicator for a foam container.

[0010] The present invention provides, in a first aspect, a foam container, comprising at least one physical content indicator.

[0011] The present invention provides, in a second aspect, a physical content indicator for a foam container, comprising a depressible raised area having an edge thickness less than a center thickness.

[0012] The present invention provides, in a third aspect, a method of indicating content of a foam container. The method comprises providing a foam container having a physical content indicator, and manipulating the physical content indicator into a content-indicating position.

[0013] These, and other objects, features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the various aspects of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014]FIG. 1 depicts one example of a foam container with multiple physical content indicators, in this case, multiple depressible raised areas, for indicating contents of the foam container, in accordance with the present invention.

[0015]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of one of the depressible raised areas of the foam container of FIG. 1.

[0016]FIG. 3 depicts the foam container of FIG. 1 with the raised area of FIG. 2 depressed.

[0017]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the depressed raised area of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018]FIG. 1 depicts one example of a foam container 100 in accordance with the present invention. Container 100 could be made of any various types of foam, for example, polystyrene or PET (poly(ethylene terephthalate)). As one example of a practical use for container 100, assume that it is used by a restaurant for take-out food.

[0019] Container 100 in this example has a clamshell-type structure including, on a top surface 102, three physical content indicators in the form of depressible raised areas 104, 106 and 108. An outer surface 110 of area 104 is convex. When one such area is manipulated into a content-indicating position (in this example, depressing the raised area), it can serve as an indicator that, for example, something has been placed or needs to be placed in the container. As another example, the depressible raised area can be used in conjunction with one or more alphanumeric characters, symbols or graphics placed nearby. For example, alphanumeric characters 112 (here, comprising the word “chicken”) shown in FIG. 1 can be used in conjunction with area 104 to indicate that a chicken dish has been placed or needs to be placed in container 100.

[0020] It will be understood that although the depressible raised areas have been shown as rounded, other shapes are possible. Any shape that, prior to depression, increases in width from a top to a bottom where it meets the container will work. For example, a conical shape, oval shape, a pyramid, and so on. Moreover, although the depressible raised areas are shown in FIG. 1 as identical, it will be understood that where there is more than one physical content indicator, the indicators can be different.

[0021]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the depressible raised area 104 from FIG. 1. The structure of the raised area comprises a pinch point 114 around the periphery of the raised area. Moving in from the periphery toward the center 116, the thickness gradually increases from about 0.035 inches to about 0.120 inches at the pinch point to about 0.040 inches to about 0.125 inches at point 118, just before the center. In the center is a depending foam nub 120 of about 0.04 inches to about 0.075 inches at its thickest point directly in the center. The thickness increase toward and at the center helps the area maintain a depressed position after manual depression thereof.

[0022]FIG. 3 depicts the container 100 of FIG. 1 after depressible raised area 104 has been depressed. Thus, in conjunction with alphanumeric characters 112, the depression of area 104 indicates either that a chicken dish is present in the container, or that such a dish needs to be placed therein, depending on the intended usage. For example, an order taker in a restaurant could use such an indicator to tell a food preparer which type of dish to place therein, or it could be depressed by the food preparer to indicate to the worker interacting with customers which container to fill the order with.

[0023]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of area 104 from FIG. 3. After depression, as best shown in FIG. 4, surface 110 is now concave. Further, pinch point 114 is slightly raised with respect to container surface 102, creating the ring best shown in FIG. 3. It should also be noted that area 104 could be pushed back out as in FIG. 2 by pushing up from under nub 120. In this way, container 100 might be reused if it were being utilized for a purpose that would not contaminate the container, for example, mechanical parts. However, due to the inherent nature of foam, reuse may not be possible beyond several times, as the pinch point will eventually weaken.

[0024] While several aspects of the present invention have been described and depicted herein, alternative aspects may be effected by those skilled in the art to accomplish the same objectives. Accordingly, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such alternative aspects as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. 

1. A foam container, comprising at least one physical content indicator.
 2. The foam container of claim 1, wherein the at least one physical content indicator comprises a depressible raised area.
 3. The foam container of claim 2, wherein the depressible raised area comprises a center area thicker than an edge area.
 4. The foam container of claim 3, wherein a thickness of the depressible raised area gradually increases from the edge area to the center area.
 5. The foam container of claim 3, wherein the center area has a thickness of about 0.040 inches to about 0.125 inches.
 6. The foam container of claim 3, wherein the edge area has a thickness of about 0.035 inches to about 0.120 inches.
 7. The foam container of claim 3, wherein the edge area has a thickness of about 0.035 inches to about 0.120 inches, and wherein the center area has a thickness of about 0.040 inches to about 0.125 inches.
 8. The foam container of claim 3, wherein the center area comprises a foam nub depending into the foam container.
 9. The foam container of claim 2, wherein the depressible raised area has a circular shape.
 10. The foam container of claim 2, further comprising at least one of an alphanumeric character, a symbol and a graphic near the depressible raised area.
 11. The foam container of claim 1, wherein the at least one physical content indicator comprises a plurality of physical content indicators.
 12. A physical content indicator for a foam container, comprising a depressible raised area having an edge thickness less than a center thickness.
 13. The physical content indicator of claim 12, wherein the depressible raised area gradually decreases in thickness from the center thickness to the edge thickness.
 14. The physical content indicator of claim 12, wherein the edge thickness is about 0.035 inches to about 0.120 inches.
 15. The physical content indicator of claim 12, wherein the center thickness is about 0.040 inches to about 0.125 inches.
 16. The physical content indicator of claim 12, wherein the edge thickness is about 0.035 inches to about 0.120 inches, and wherein the center thickness is about 0.040 inches to about 0.125 inches.
 17. The physical content indicator of claim 12, wherein the depressible raised area comprises a depending foam nub in the center.
 18. The physical content indicator of claim 12, wherein the depressible raised area has a circular shape.
 19. A method of indicating content of a foam container, comprising: providing a foam container, wherein the foam container comprises a physical content indicator; and manipulating the physical content indicator into a content-indicating position.
 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the physical content indicator comprises a depressible raised area, and wherein the manipulating comprises depressing the depressible raised area into the content-indicating position. 